U.S. patent application number 13/565545 was filed with the patent office on 2013-02-07 for display control apparatus and display control method.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is Kunihiko TSUJIMOTO. Invention is credited to Kunihiko TSUJIMOTO.
Application Number | 20130033718 13/565545 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47615373 |
Filed Date | 2013-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130033718 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TSUJIMOTO; Kunihiko |
February 7, 2013 |
DISPLAY CONTROL APPARATUS AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD
Abstract
A manual display application common to a standard application
and an external application controls display of both of an
operation manual of the standard application and an operation
manual of the external application. With the arrangement, the
operation manuals of the respective applications can be displayed
in a unified manner.
Inventors: |
TSUJIMOTO; Kunihiko;
(Osaka-Shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TSUJIMOTO; Kunihiko |
Osaka-Shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
47615373 |
Appl. No.: |
13/565545 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00464 20130101;
H04N 2201/0094 20130101; G06F 9/453 20180201; H04N 1/00474
20130101; H04N 1/00411 20130101; H04N 1/00973 20130101; H04N
1/00204 20130101; H04N 1/00482 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.13 |
International
Class: |
G06K 15/02 20060101
G06K015/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 2011 |
JP |
2011-171269 |
Claims
1. A display control apparatus for controlling a display content of
a display section of a multifunction peripheral that is
communicably connected to the display control apparatus or a
display content of a display section that is disposed in vicinity
of the multifunction peripheral, the multifunction peripheral
having (i) a standard function of controlling one or a plurality of
apparatus functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of a
standard application operating in the multifunction peripheral and
(ii) an expanded function of controlling said one or a plurality of
apparatus functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an
external application operating in another apparatus communicably
connected to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction
peripheral including an operation input section for accepting
operation input from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the
display control apparatus comprising a manual display control
section that controls display, on the display section, of both of
an operation manual of the standard application and an operation
manual of the external application, the manual display control
section causing the display section to display an operation manual
of an application for which an operation is being inputted by the
user via the operation input section out of the standard
application and the external application.
2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the
manual display control section causes an operation manual of each
of the standard and external applications to be displayed on the
display section on basis of a common display policy, and the common
display policy is a display policy defining at least one of a font
type, a character size, a character color, a line spacing, and a
background color.
3. The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
manual display control section (i) acquires the operation manual of
a document format from the multifunction peripheral or said another
apparatus or reads out the operation manual of the document format
from a storage section provided in the display control apparatus
and (ii) causes the display section to display the operation manual
by applying, to the operation manual of the document format, a
style sheet defining at least one of the font type, character size,
character color, line spacing, and background color.
4. The display control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the
style sheet applied by the manual display control section is common
to the operation manuals of the standard and external
applications.
5. The display control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the
manual display control section causes the display section to
display the operation manual of the application for which an
operation is being inputted by the user via the operation input
section by applying, to the operation manual of the application, a
style sheet associated in advance with the application, the style
sheet being selected from a plurality of style sheets which are
same in one or more of a plurality of items including at least one
of the font type, character size, character color, line spacing,
and background color and which are different in remaining
items.
6. A display control method in a multifunction peripheral control
system including (i) a multifunction peripheral and (ii) a display
control apparatus that is communicably connected to the
multifunction peripheral and that controls a display content of a
display section of the multifunction peripheral or a display
content of a display section that is disposed in vicinity of the
multifunction peripheral, the multifunction peripheral having (i) a
standard function of controlling one or a plurality of apparatus
functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of a standard
application operating in the multifunction peripheral and (ii) an
expanded function of controlling said one or a plurality of
apparatus functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an
external application operating in another apparatus communicably
connected to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction
peripheral including an operation input section for accepting
operation input from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the
display control method comprising the step of (a) causing a manual
display control section, which is provided in the display control
apparatus and which is common to the standard application and the
external application, to control display, on the display section,
of both of an operation manual of the standard application and an
operation manual of the external application, in the step (a), an
operation manual of an application for which an operation is being
inputted by the user via the operation input section being
displayed on the display section.
Description
[0001] This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119 on Patent Application No. 2011-171269 filed in
Japan on Aug. 4, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a display control apparatus
and a display control method each of which is for controlling a
display content on a multifunction peripheral that is communicably
connected to the display control apparatus via a communication
network.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Conventionally, a system is proposed in which a
multifunction peripheral (MFP) operates as part of a total
application system. In the system, the multifunction peripheral and
an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer are
communicably connected to each other so that functions of the
multifunction peripheral and functions of an application that
operates in the information processing apparatus work in
association with each other. For example, Patent Literature 1
discloses a multifunction peripheral control system including a
multifunction peripheral and an information processing apparatus
which gives the multifunction peripheral a control instruction via
a communication network. In this type of system, in a case where
the multifunction peripheral utilizes an application that operates
in the information processing apparatus, a UI (user interface)
screen customized to suit the application is sent from the
information processing apparatus to the multifunction peripheral,
and the multifunction peripheral causes the UI screen to be
displayed. In this way, a user inputs a desired instruction (e.g.,
print instruction, scan instruction) to the UI screen.
[0004] Further, a technique of causing an operation manual such as
a manual for an electronic applicant to be stored in the form of
electronic data and displaying a part of the operation manual which
part corresponds to an instruction from a user is conventionally
known. For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses an operation
manual display device which (i) stores an operation manual in the
form of electronic data so that an image having identical contents
to a paper manual can be displayed and (ii) displays, in response
to a user's operation, information in the operation manual which
information is relevant to the user's operation in a manner easy to
understand for the user.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature 1
[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No.
2007-174400 A (Publication Date: Jul. 5, 2007)
Patent Literature 2
[0005] [0006] Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No.
2010-185994 A (Publication Date: Aug. 26, 2010)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0007] The technique of Patent Literature 2 is very useful in a
case where a user operation and a part, corresponding to the user
operation, of an operation manual are stored in an association
table in advance. However, in a case where the technique of Patent
Literature 2 is applied to the system in which a multifunction
peripheral operates as part of a total application system, it is
undesirably difficult to display operation manuals corresponding to
user's operations in a unified manner.
[0008] Specifically, in such a total application system, the
multifunction peripheral (i) causes a UI screen sent from the
information processing apparatus to be displayed, (ii) transmits,
to the information processing apparatus, a user operation inputted
to the UI screen, and (iii) controls an operation of the
multifunction peripheral on the basis of control information that
is sent from the information processing apparatus in response to
the user operation. Accordingly, the multifunction peripheral
itself cannot grasp a display content of the Ul screen and a
specific content of the user operation, and therefore cannot
control display of an operation manual corresponding to the user
operation. This makes it necessary for individual applications to
control display of their operation manuals. As a result, the
operation manuals cannot be displayed in a unified manner.
[0009] The present invention was attained in view of the above
problems, and an object of the present invention is to display
operation manuals of respective applications in a unified manner in
a multifunction peripheral control system which (i) includes a
multifunction peripheral and an information processing apparatus
communicably connected to the multifunction peripheral and (ii) has
(a) a standard function of controlling an apparatus function of the
multifunction peripheral with the use of a standard application
that operates in the multifunction peripheral and (b) an expanded
function of controlling an apparatus function of the multifunction
peripheral with the use of an external application that operates in
the information processing apparatus.
Solution to Problem
[0010] In order to attain the above object, a display control
apparatus of the present invention is a display control apparatus
for controlling a display content of a display section of a
multifunction peripheral that is communicably connected to the
display control apparatus or a display content of a display section
that is disposed in vicinity of the multifunction peripheral, the
multifunction peripheral having (i) a standard function of
controlling one or a plurality of apparatus functions of the
multifunction peripheral with use of a standard application
operating in the multifunction peripheral and (ii) an expanded
function of controlling the one or a plurality of apparatus
functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an external
application operating in another apparatus communicably connected
to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction peripheral
including an operation input section for accepting operation input
from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the display control
apparatus including a manual display control section that controls
display, on the display section, of both of an operation manual of
the standard application and an operation manual of the external
application, the manual display control section causing the display
section to display an operation manual of an application for which
an operation is being inputted by the user via the operation input
section out of the standard application and the external
application.
[0011] A display control method of the present invention is a
display control method in a multifunction peripheral control system
including (i) a multifunction peripheral and (ii) a display control
apparatus that is communicably connected to the multifunction
peripheral and that controls a display content of a display section
of the multifunction peripheral or a display content of a display
section that is disposed in vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral, the multifunction peripheral having (i) a standard
function of controlling one or a plurality of apparatus functions
of the multifunction peripheral with use of a standard application
operating in the multifunction peripheral and (ii) an expanded
function of controlling the one or a plurality of apparatus
functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an external
application operating in another apparatus communicably connected
to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction peripheral
including an operation input section for accepting operation input
from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the display control
method including the step of (a) causing a manual display control
section, which is provided in the display control apparatus and
which is common to the standard application and the external
application, to control display, on the display section, of both of
an operation manual of the standard application and an operation
manual of the external application, in the step (a), an operation
manual of an application for which an operation is being inputted
by the user via the operation input section being displayed on the
display section.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0012] As described above, according to the display control
apparatus and the display control method of the present invention,
operation manuals of respective applications can be displayed in a
unified manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating a configuration
of a multifunction peripheral control system of an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing in a
multifunction peripheral provided in the multifunction peripheral
control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of
user operation information that is sent from the multifunction
peripheral to an information processing apparatus in a case where a
copy mode has been selected in the multifunction peripheral control
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an
application selection screen displayed on a display section of the
multifunction peripheral included in the multifunction peripheral
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing carried
out in a case where an operation manual concerning the copy mode is
displayed on the display device in the multifunction peripheral
control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 6 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an
initial screen of the copy mode which initial screen is displayed
on the display section of the multifunction peripheral in the
processing shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of
user operation information sent from the multifunction peripheral
to the information processing apparatus in the processing shown in
FIG. 5.
[0020] FIG. 8 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of a
copy density setting window displayed on the display section of the
multifunction peripheral in the processing shown in FIG. 5.
[0021] FIG. 9 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of
manual display data sent from the information processing apparatus
to the display device in the processing shown in FIG. 5.
[0022] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of an
operation manual displayed on the display device in the processing
shown in FIG. 5.
[0023] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view illustrating an outline of
communication processing in the processing shown in FIG. 5.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing carried
out in a case where the operation manual concerning the copy mode
is displayed on the display section of the multifunction peripheral
in the multifunction peripheral control system illustrated in FIG.
1.
[0025] FIG. 13 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of
manual display data sent from the information processing apparatus
to the multifunction peripheral in the processing of FIG. 12.
[0026] FIG. 14 is an explanatory view illustrating an outline of
communication processing in the processing shown in FIG. 12.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing carried
out in a case where an operation manual concerning an external
application is displayed on the display device in the multifunction
peripheral control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0028] FIG. 16 is an explanatory view illustrating screen data of a
login screen for a document management application which screen
data is sent from the information processing apparatus to the
multifunction peripheral in the processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0029] FIG. 17 is an explanatory view illustrating a login screen
that is displayed on the display section of the multifunction
peripheral on the basis of the screen data of FIG. 16.
[0030] FIG. 18 (a) is an explanatory view illustrating an example
of a UI screen displayed on the display section of the
multifunction peripheral in the processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0031] FIG. 18 (b) is an explanatory view illustrating an example
of a UI screen displayed on the display section of the
multifunction peripheral in the processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0032] FIG. 19 (a) is an explanatory view illustrating an example
of a UI screen displayed on the display section of the
multifunction peripheral in the processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0033] FIG. 19 (b) is an explanatory view illustrating an example
of an operation manual displayed on the display device in the
processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0034] FIG. 20 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out among the multifunction
peripheral, the information processing apparatus, and the display
device in the processing shown in FIG. 15.
[0035] FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing carried
out in a case where an operation manual concerning an external
application is displayed on the display section of the
multifunction peripheral in the multifunction peripheral control
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0036] FIG. 22 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of a
display screen (display screen including a UI screen and an
operation manual) displayed on the display section in a case where
a "Two-Sided" button on the UI screen has been operated in the
processing shown in FIG. 21.
[0037] FIG. 23 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out between the multifunction
peripheral and the information processing apparatus in the
processing shown in FIG. 21.
[0038] FIG. 24 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of
neglected state notification sent from the multifunction peripheral
to the information processing apparatus in a case where no
operation has been made by a user for a predetermined period of
time from the last operation input in the multifunction peripheral
control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0039] FIG. 25 is an explanatory view showing a flow of processing
of a manual control application included in the multifunction
peripheral control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0040] FIG. 26 is an explanatory view illustrating a modification
of processing of the manual control application included in the
multifunction peripheral control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0041] FIG. 27 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of a
style sheet used in the processing shown in FIG. 26.
[0042] FIG. 28 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which
an operation manual is displayed on the display device in the
multifunction peripheral control system illustrated in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0043] An embodiment of the present invention is described
below.
[0044] (1-1. Configuration of Multifunction Peripheral Control
System 100)
[0045] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating a configuration
of a multifunction peripheral control system 100 of the present
embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the multifunction peripheral
control system 100 includes a multifunction peripheral 10, an
information processing apparatus (display control apparatus,
another apparatus) 30, and a display device 50. The information
processing apparatus 30 is communicably connected to each of the
multifunction peripheral 10 and the display device 50 via a
communication network or the like. Note that the number of
multifunction peripherals 10, the number of information processing
apparatuses 30, and the number of display devices 50 included in
the multifunction peripheral control system 100 may be 1 or may be
more than 1. Note also that the communication network is not
limited to a specific one, and can be, for example, a communication
line such as Internet, telephone line, serial cable, or another
wired or wireless line. The multifunction peripheral 10 and the
display device 50 may be communicably connected to each other. In
such a case, the information processing apparatus 30 may control
display of the display device 50 via the multifunction peripheral
10. Alternatively, the multifunction peripheral 10 may control
display of the display device 50 in accordance with an instruction
from the information processing apparatus 30.
[0046] The information processing apparatus 30 is a computer
apparatus that is constituted by a processing section (e.g., a CPU,
a dedicated processor, and the like.) and a storage section
including RAM, ROM, HDD, and the like. The information processing
apparatus 30 functions as a web server apparatus for the one or
plurality of multifunction peripheral 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1,
the information processing apparatus 30 includes a communication
section 31, a web server section 32, and an external application
section 33.
[0047] The communication section 31 communicates with the
multifunction peripheral 10 and the display device 50 via the
communication network. Note that the communication section 31
communicates with the multifunction peripheral 10 with the use of
an HTTP protocol.
[0048] The web server section 32 operates in accordance with
software of a web server. The "web server" as used herein refers to
software for providing functions of a server apparatus that
constitutes WWW (World Wide Web) which is an information system on
the Internet. The web server section 32 has a function of receiving
a request (HTTP request) from the multifunction peripheral 10 via
the communication section 31 and returning, to the multifunction
peripheral 10 via the communication section 31, a response (HTTP
response) including a file, image data, print data, control
information, and the like corresponding to the request.
[0049] The external application section (manual display control
section, external application processing section) 33 operates in
accordance with a predetermined web application in response to an
instruction from the web server section 32. That is, the external
application section 33 operates in accordance with various kinds of
web applications operating on the web server.
[0050] In the present embodiment, the external application section
33 includes a manual display application 33a, a document management
application 33b, and a ledger sheet printing application 33c. Note,
however, that applications included in the external application
section 33 are not limited to these, and the external application
section 33 may include other applications for controlling an
apparatus function of the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0051] For example, the external application section 33 operates in
accordance with an operation screen sending application in a case
where the request (HTTP request) from the multifunction peripheral
10 is a request to send a UI screen (operation screen).
Specifically, the external application section 33 reads out, from a
storage section (not illustrated), HTML data of the operation
screen designated by the request and sends the HTML data to the web
server section 32. Meanwhile, the external application section 33
operates in accordance with a print application in a case where the
request from the multifunction peripheral 10 is a request to send
print data. Specifically, the external application section 33
acquires print data of a designated file name from a folder of a
folder name designated by the request and sends the print data to
the web server section 32.
[0052] The display device 50 is placed in the vicinity of the
multifunction peripheral 10 (in a place where a user who inputs an
operation to the multifunction peripheral 10 is capable of viewing
a display content of the display device 50 (e.g., a back surface
side or a side surface side of the multifunction peripheral 10)).
The display device 50 display, for a user, various kinds of
information (e.g., UI screen, operation manual) corresponding to an
instruction from the information processing apparatus 30 (or the
multifunction peripheral 10). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the display
device 50 includes a communication section 51, an apparatus control
section 52, and a display section 53.
[0053] The communication section 51 communicates with the
information processing apparatus 30 (or the multifunction
peripheral 10) via the communication network.
[0054] The apparatus control section 52 controls an operation of
the display section 53 so that an image corresponding to an
instruction from the information processing apparatus 30 (or the
multifunction peripheral 10) is displayed on the display section
53.
[0055] The display section 53 is not limited to a specific one,
provided that it can display an image corresponding to image data.
The display section 53 can be, for example, a liquid crystal
display, a plasma display, an organic EL display, or a CRT
display.
[0056] Note that the display section 53 preferably has a larger
display screen than a display section 13 of the multifunction
peripheral 10. In recent years, a large-sized display can be
purchased at a relatively low price. In a case where a large-sized
display is placed in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral
10, a lot of information can be displayed well for a user of the
multifunction peripheral 10.
[0057] The following describes a configuration of the multifunction
peripheral 10. The multifunction peripheral 10 is an apparatus that
is capable of executing a plurality of apparatus functions such as
a copy function, a scan function, a print function, a facsimile
sending/receiving function, and an image data sending function.
Further, the multifunction peripheral 10 has (i) a standard
function of controlling the apparatus functions of the
multifunction peripheral 10 on the basis of a program (native
application, standard application) included in the multifunction
peripheral 10 and (ii) an expanded function of controlling the
apparatus functions of the multifunction peripheral 10 on the basis
of an application (external application, OSA (Open System
architecture) application) that operates in the information
processing apparatus 30. A program of the standard function is
stored in a storage section (not illustrated) of the multifunction
peripheral 10, and an apparatus control section 16 executes this
program. The expanded function is executed by causing the external
application section 33 of the information processing apparatus 30
to execute an application program stored in a storage section (not
illustrated) of the information processing apparatus 30.
[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the multifunction peripheral 10
includes an operation section 11, an image reading section 14, an
image forming section 15, a web browser section 18, a communication
section 17, and the apparatus control section 16.
[0059] The operation section 11 is a user interface which presents
information to a user and which accepts an input from the user. The
operation section 11 includes, for example, a display section
(operation screen display section) 13 such as a liquid crystal
display and an input section (operation input section) 12 having
various kinds of input keys. Note that the operation section 11 may
be a touch panel combining the display section 13 and the input
section 12.
[0060] The image reading section 14 includes a scanner and a
document carrying section for carrying a document to a place where
the document is to be read by the scanner. The image reading
section 14 reads (scans) a text and an image printed on a document
at a predetermined resolution so as to acquire image data of the
document.
[0061] The image forming section 15 prints an image (e.g., text,
photograph, graphic, or a combination of these) corresponding to
image data onto a recording sheet such as a sheet of paper. In the
present embodiment, the image forming section 15 is an
electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a
photoreceptor drum, a charging device, an exposure device, a
developing device, a transfer device, a fixing device, a sheet
tray, etc. Note, however, that the configuration of the image
forming section 15 is not limited to this, and the image forming
section 15 may be an image forming apparatus of a different type
such as an inkjet type.
[0062] The communication section 17 is a communication interface
that communicates with an external apparatus such as the
information processing apparatus 30. In the present embodiment, the
communication section 17 communicates with the information
processing apparatus 30 with the use of a HTTP protocol as
described above.
[0063] The web browser section 18 operates in accordance with
generally-used web browser software. The web browser section 18
communicates with the web server section 32 of the information
processing apparatus 30 via the communication section 17 and
receives operation screen information and control information. The
multifunction peripheral 10 executes various functions (e.g., scan
function, print function, communication function) of the
multifunction peripheral 10 on the basis of the received control
information. Specifically, for example, means in the multifunction
peripheral 10 which means collaborates with the external
application section 33 of the information processing apparatus 30
receives HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) data indicative of an
operation screen from the information processing apparatus 30 and
causes the operation screen indicated by the HTML data to be
displayed. Then, the multifunction peripheral 10 (i) sends, to the
information processing apparatus 30, a content of an instruction
inputted by a user to the operation screen, (ii) receives a control
command that is sent by the external application section 33 of the
information processing apparatus 30 in accordance with a result of
analysis of the content of the instruction, and (iii) executes a
function of various kinds in response to the instruction of the
control command.
[0064] The apparatus control section 16 controls operations of
respective sections of the multifunction peripheral 10.
Specifically, in a case where the standard function is executed,
the apparatus control section 16 controls operations of the
respective sections of the multifunction peripheral 10 on the basis
of (i) an instruction from a user that is inputted via the
operation section 11 and (ii) a program (native application) stored
in the multifunction peripheral 10. Meanwhile, in a case where the
expanded function is executed, the apparatus control section 16
controls operations of the respective sections of the multifunction
peripheral 10 on the basis of a control instruction that is sent
from the external application section 33 of the information
processing apparatus 30 in response to an instruction from a user
that is inputted via the operation section 11.
[0065] For example, in a case where a copy mode, which is one
example of the standard function, is executed, a user gives an
instruction to execute copy by using the input section 12 of the
operation section 11. This instruction is sent to the apparatus
control section 16, and the apparatus control section 16 controls
the image reading section 14 on the basis of a standard copy
application (native application) in the multifunction peripheral 10
to carry out document scan processing and controls the image
forming section 15 to carry out print processing during or after
the scan processing.
[0066] In a case where the expanded function is executed, the
apparatus control section 16 causes the display section 13 to
display a UI screen received from the information processing
apparatus 30. Then, the apparatus control section 16 sends, to the
information processing apparatus 30 via the communication section
17, an instruction from a user inputted to the UI screen via the
input section 12. Then, the apparatus control section 16 controls
operations of the respective sections of the multifunction
peripheral 10 in accordance with a control instruction that is sent
from the information processing apparatus 30 to the communication
section 17.
[0067] In the present embodiment, the manual display application
33a provided in the external application section 33 of the
information processing apparatus 30 controls both of (i) processing
of displaying an operation manual concerning a standard function
during execution of the standard function and (ii) processing of
displaying an operation manual concerning an expanded function
during execution of the expanded function. Details of a display
control method for an operation manual are described later.
[0068] (1-2. Operation of Multifunction Peripheral 10)
[0069] The following describes a flow of processing in the
multifunction peripheral 10. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an
outline of the processing in the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0070] In response to activation of the multifunction peripheral
10, the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 causes the display section 13 to display a mode
selection screen (S1). In the present embodiment, any of the copy
mode, image sending mode, and OSA mode is selected on this mode
selection screen. The copy mode and the image sending mode are
respectively modes for carrying out copy processing and image
sending processing, each of which is based on the standard function
of the multifunction peripheral 10. The OSA mode is a mode for
carrying out processing of the expanded function of controlling the
apparatus functions of the multifunction peripheral 10 under
control of the external application section 33 of the information
processing apparatus 30. Note that such an arrangement is also
possible in which (i) a predetermined one of the aforementioned
modes is selected as a default mode in response to activation of
the multifunction peripheral 10 and (ii) a user switches the
default mode into another mode as necessary.
[0071] Next, the apparatus control section 16 determines whether or
not a mode selected by a user is the copy mode (S2). In a case
where it is determined that the copy mode has been selected, the
apparatus control section 16 generates user operation information
indicating that the copy mode has been selected, and sends the user
operation information to the information processing apparatus 30
via the web browser section 18 and the communication section 17
(S3). FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the user operation
information that is sent from the multifunction peripheral 10 to
the information processing apparatus 30 in a case where the copy
mode has been selected. "COPY" indicative of the copy mode is
stored in a <Screen> tag in order to indicate that a copy
screen has been selected. No information is stored in a
<Button> tag since this user operation information indicates
an operation content for displaying an initial screen of the copy
screen. FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which XML tag data is sent
as the user operation information. Note, however, that a data
format of the user operation information is not limited to this,
and can be, for example, HTML or other formats. The XML format has
an advantage of easily changing definition of a tag, whereas the
HTML format has an advantage of easily sending notification from
the multifunction peripheral 10 inside a firewall to the
information processing apparatus 30 outside the firewall.
[0072] Thereafter, the apparatus control section 16 executes
processing of the copy mode on the basis of a copy application
stored in the storage section (not illustrated) of the
multifunction peripheral 10 (S4), and then a process in S13 is
carried out.
[0073] In a case where it is determined in S2 that the copy mode
has not been selected, the apparatus control section 16 determines
whether or not the mode selected by the user is the image sending
mode (S5). In a case where it is determined that the image sending
mode has been selected, the apparatus control section 16 generates
user operation information indicating that the image sending mode
has been selected, and sends this user operation information to the
information processing apparatus 30 via the web browser section 18
and the communication section 17 (S6). The user operation
information is, for example, data of FIG. 3 in which "COPY" in the
<Screen> tag is replaced with "IMAGE SEND" indicative of the
image sending mode. Subsequently, the apparatus control section 16
executes processing of the image sending mode on the basis of an
image sending application stored in the storage section (not
illustrated) of the multifunction peripheral 10 (S7), and then a
process in S13 is carried out.
[0074] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S5 that the
image sending mode has not been selected, the apparatus control
section 16 (i) determines that the mode selected by the user is the
OSA mode, (ii) generates user operation information indicating that
the OSA mode has been selected, and (iii) sends this user operation
information to the information processing apparatus 30 via the web
browser section 18 and the communication section 17 (S8). Further,
the apparatus control section 16 causes the display section 13 to
display an application selection screen which allows the user to
select a desired application from external applications available
in the OSA mode (S9). For example, such an arrangement is possible
in which (i) the information processing apparatus 30 (the web
server section 32) that has received the user operation information
indicating that the OSA mode has been selected generates screen
data of a UI screen (application selection screen) showing a list
of the available external applications and sends the screen data to
the multifunction peripheral 10 and (ii) the apparatus control
section 16 of the multifunction peripheral 10 causes the display
section 13 to display the application selection screen in
accordance with the screen data. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view
illustrating an example of the application selection screen. As
illustrated in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the document
management application and the ledger sheet printing application
are available in the OSA mode.
[0075] Thereafter, the apparatus control section 16 determines, in
response to receipt of an application selection instruction from
the user, whether or not an application selected by the user is the
document management application (S10). In a case where it is
determined that the document management 16 executes processing of
the document management application in accordance with a control
instruction from the document management application 33b that
operates in the information processing apparatus 30 (S11), and then
the process in S13 is carried out. Meanwhile, in a case where it is
determined in S10 that the document management application has not
been selected, the apparatus control section 16 determines that the
ledger sheet printing application has been selected, and executes
processing of the ledger sheet printing application in accordance
with a control instruction from the ledger sheet printing
application 33c that operates in the information processing
apparatus 30 (S12), and then the process in S13 is carried out.
[0076] As has been described, in the present embodiment, the
apparatus control section 16 generates user operation information
indicative of a content of an operation input from a user and
appropriately notifies the information processing apparatus 30 of
the user operation information, regardless of whether processing to
be executed is processing of the standard function or processing of
the expanded function. This allows the manual display application
33a provided in the information processing apparatus 30 to control
each application of the standard function and each application of
the expanded function to display an operation manual corresponding
to an operation input from the user. That is, in the present
embodiment, the manual display application 33a common to all of the
applications controls display of operation manuals of the
respective applications regardless of an application to be executed
is an application of the standard function or the expanded
function. Details of display control of an operation manual are
described later.
[0077] (1-3. Processing of Copy Mode)
[0078] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing in the
multifunction peripheral control system 100 carried out in a case
where an operation manual is displayed on the display device 50 in
the copy mode. In a case where the copy mode is selected on the
mode selection screen displayed in S1 of FIG. 2, the apparatus
control section 16 of the multifunction peripheral 10 reads out
initial screen data of the copy mode from the storage section (not
illustrated) of the multifunction peripheral 10, and causes the
display section 13 to display an initial screen in accordance with
this initial screen data (S21). FIG. 6 is an explanatory view
illustrating an example of the initial screen of the copy mode.
[0079] Next, the apparatus control section 16 determines whether or
not an execution button has been operated (S22). In a case where it
is determined that the execution button has been operated, copy
processing based on a setting condition at that time is executed in
accordance with the copy application included in the multifunction
peripheral 10 (S23), and then the process in S21 is carried out
again.
[0080] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S22 that the
execution button has not been operated, the apparatus control
section 16 determines whether or not any of setting buttons has
been operated (S24). In a case where it is determined that any of
the setting buttons has not been operated, the apparatus control
section 16 carries out the process in S21 again.
[0081] In a case where it is determined in S24 that any of the
setting buttons has been operated, the apparatus control section 16
(i) sends user operation information corresponding to the setting
button that has been operated to the information processing
apparatus 30 via the web browser section 18 and the communication
section 17 (S25), (ii) reads out, from the storage section (not
illustrated) of the multifunction peripheral 10, a setting window
(UI screen) corresponding to the setting button that has been
operated, and (iii) causes the display section 13 to display the
setting window (UI screen) (S26).
[0082] In the present embodiment, setting buttons of "Copy
Density", "Sheet", "Zooming", "Special Function", "Two-Sided Copy",
and "Output" are available, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The "Copy
Density" button is a setting button for setting density of printing
on a recording sheet. The "Sheet" button is a setting button for
selecting size and type of a recording sheet. The "Zooming" button
is a setting button for setting a size of a copied image (a ratio
of the copied image to original image data). The "Two-Sided Copy"
button is a setting button for selecting whether double-side copy
is executed or single-side copy is executed. The "Output" button is
a setting button for setting a destination of a recording sheet on
which an image has been copied. The "Special Function" button is a
setting button for a variety of settings other than these
settings.
[0083] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of user operation information
that is sent from the multifunction peripheral 10 to the
information processing apparatus 30 in a case where the "Copy
Density" button is operated in S24. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in
the present embodiment, notification of user operation information
(notification from the multifunction peripheral) in which "COPY"
indicative of the copy mode is stored in the <Screen> tag and
"EXPOSURE" indicating that an item to be set is "Copy Density" is
stored as an identifier in the <Screen> tag is sent to the
information processing apparatus 30. Note that a data format of the
user operation information is not limited to XML, and can be, for
example, HTML or other formats. In the present embodiment, the user
operation information is information of a screen that is being
displayed, a content of a button operated by a user, etc. However,
the user operation information is not limited to these, provided
that it allows a content of a user's operation to be identified.
For example, ID information for identifying a screen or a button,
coordinate information within a screen, etc. may be sent as the
user operation information to the information processing apparatus
30.
[0084] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a setting window for "Copy
Density" displayed on the display section 13 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 in a case where the "Copy Density" button has been
operated in S24.
[0085] When the communication section 31 receives the user
operation information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10
(S31), the manual display application 33a of the information
processing apparatus 30 retrieves (or generates) manual display
data corresponding to the user operation information (S32), and
sends the manual display data to the display device 50 via the
communication section 31 (S33). Specifically, in the information
processing apparatus 30, a table in which identification
information (e.g., mode identification information, setting item
identification information) contained in the user operation
information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10 and manual
display data are associated with each other in advance is stored in
advance, and the manual display application 33a retrieves the
manual display data by referring to the table. Alternatively, the
manual display application 33a may generate the manual display data
in accordance with the user operation information. For example,
such an arrangement is possible in which (i) data of an operation
manual described in a document format (e.g., a structured document
in which sections and paragraphs are clearly defined and
classified) such as HTML is stored, and (ii) the manual display
application 33a generates manual display data by applying a style
sheet (template of a way in which a document is displayed, in which
template defines at least one of a font type, a character size, a
character color, a line spacing, and a background color) to a part,
corresponding to the user operation information, of the operation
manual.
[0086] FIG. 9 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of the
manual display data sent from the information processing apparatus
30 to the display device 50. In the data illustrated in FIG. 9,
"Manual Data" in the <Screen> tag is a part in which image
data of an operation manual and HTML screen data are stored.
[0087] When the communication section 51 receives the manual
display data sent from the information processing apparatus 30
(S41), the apparatus control section 52 of the display device 50
causes the display section 53 to display an image corresponding to
the manual display data (S42). FIG. 10 is an explanatory view
illustrating an example of an operation manual (operation manual
concerning density setting in the copy mode) displayed on the
display section 53.
[0088] The apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 determines whether or not a setting changing
instruction from a user has been inputted to the setting window
(S27). In a case where the setting changing instruction has been
inputted, the apparatus control section 16 changes a setting
content in accordance with the setting changing instruction (S28).
Further, the apparatus control section 16 determines whether or not
a display end instruction to end display of the setting window has
been given by the user (S29). In a case where the display end
instruction has not been given, the process in S26 is carried out
again, whereas in a case where the display end instruction has been
given, the process in S21 is carried out again.
[0089] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out among the multifunction
peripheral 10, the information processing apparatus 30, and the
display device 50 in the processing of the copy mode illustrated in
FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when a user operates/selects a
setting button on the multifunction peripheral 10, user operation
information indicative of a content of the operation is sent from
the multifunction peripheral 10 to the information processing
apparatus 30 (notification from multifunction peripheral). The
manual display application 33a that operates in the information
processing apparatus 30 retrieves and generates manual display data
corresponding to the user operation information received from the
multifunction peripheral 10, and sends the manual display data to
the display device 50. In this way, an operation manual
corresponding to the user operation is displayed on the display
device 50.
[0090] As has been described, in the present embodiment, when a
user operates/selects a setting button, a setting window (UI
screen) corresponding to the selected setting button is displayed
on the display section 13, and an operation manual corresponding to
the selected setting button is displayed on the display device 50.
This allows the user to input setting on the setting window while
referring to the operation manual displayed on the display section
53 as necessary.
[0091] The above description has dealt with a case where an
operation manual is displayed on the display device 50 in the
processing of the copy mode. However, the present embodiment is not
limited to this. Alternatively, an operation manual may be
displayed on the display section 13 of the multifunction peripheral
10.
[0092] FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing in the
multifunction peripheral control system 100 carried out in a case
where an operation manual is displayed on the display section 13 of
the multifunction peripheral 10 in the copy mode. In a case where
the copy mode is selected on the mode selection screen displayed in
S1 of FIG. 2, the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 reads out initial screen data of the copy mode from
the storage section (not illustrated) of the multifunction
peripheral 10, and causes the display section 13 to display an
initial screen in accordance with the initial screen data (S51).
The initial screen of the copy mode can be a screen similar to that
illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0093] Next, the apparatus control section 16 determines whether or
not an execution button has been operated (S52). In a case where it
is determined that the execution button has been operated, copy
processing based on a setting condition at that time is executed in
accordance with the copy application included in the multifunction
peripheral 10 (S53), and the process in S51 is carried out
again.
[0094] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S52 that the
execution button has not been operated, the apparatus control
section 16 determines whether or not any of the setting buttons has
been operated (S54). In a case where it is determined that any of
the setting buttons has not been operated, the apparatus control
section 16 carries out the process in S51 again.
[0095] In a case where it is determined in S54 that any of the
setting buttons has been operated, the apparatus control section 16
sends user operation information corresponding to the setting
button that has been operated to the information processing
apparatus 30 (S55). The user operation information can be user
operation information similar to that described with reference to
FIG. 5.
[0096] When the communication section 31 receives the user
operation information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10
(S61), the manual display application 33a of the information
processing apparatus 30 retrieves or generates manual display data
corresponding to the user operation information (S62), and sends
the manual display data to the display device 50 via the
communication section 31 (S63).
[0097] In a case where data of an operation manual is stored in the
information processing apparatus 30, the manual display data can be
generated or retrieved in a similar manner to that described with
reference to FIG. 5. Meanwhile, in a case where data of an
operation manual is stored in the multifunction peripheral 10, page
designation information indicating which page of the operation
manual is to be displayed may be generated as the manual display
data, and sent to the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0098] The manual display data may be generated, for example, by
the following method. Specifically, (i) a table is stored in
advance in which identification information (e.g., mode
identification information, setting item identification
information) contained in the user operation information sent from
the multifunction peripheral 10 and page designation information
indicating which page of which manual (or which part of which page)
is to be displayed are associated with each other and (ii) the
manual display application 33a retrieves the page designation
information and generates the manual display data by referring to
the table. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the manual display
data that is sent from the information processing apparatus 30 to
the multifunction peripheral 10 in a case where page 26 of an
operation manual is displayed.
[0099] Another arrangement is also possible in which (i) data of an
operation manual described in a document format such as HTML is
stored in the multifunction peripheral 10 and (ii) the manual
display application 33a generates and sends manual display data
including page designation information and a style sheet to be
applied to display of the page designation information.
[0100] Further, another arrangement is also possible in which the
manual display application 33a (i) acquires, from the multifunction
peripheral 10, data of an operation manual corresponding to the
page designation information, (ii) generates display screen data on
the basis of the acquired data, and (iii) sends manual display data
including the generated display screen data to the multifunction
peripheral 10.
[0101] When the communication section 17 receives the manual
display data sent from the information processing apparatus 30
(S56), the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 causes the display section 13 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 to display an image of an operation manual
corresponding to the manual display data and a setting window
corresponding to the setting button that has been operated by the
user and is detected in S54 (S57). The setting window can be a
setting window similar to that described with reference to FIG. 5.
The image of the operation manual can be an image similar to that
of FIG. 10. Note that a display region of the setting window and a
display region of the operation manual may be predetermined or may
be designated by the manual display application 33a. In the present
embodiment, the display section 13 has a horizontally-long
rectangular shape, and a substantially left-half of the display
section 13 in a longitudinal direction is predetermined as the
display region (operation area) of the setting window and a
substantially right-half of the display section 13 in the
longitudinal direction is predetermined as the display region
(manual display area) of the operation manual.
[0102] Thereafter, the apparatus control section 16 of the
multifunction peripheral 10 determines whether or not a setting
changing instruction from a user has been inputted to the setting
window (S58). In a case where the setting changing instruction has
been inputted, the apparatus control section 16 changes a setting
content in accordance with the setting changing instruction (S59).
Further, the apparatus control section 16 determines whether or not
a display end instruction to end display of the setting window has
been given by the user (S60). In a case where the display end
instruction has not been given, the process in S57 is carried out
again, whereas in a case where the display end instruction has been
given, the process in S51 is carried out again.
[0103] FIG. 14 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out between the multifunction
peripheral 10 and the information processing apparatus 30 in the
processing of the copy mode illustrated in FIG. 12. As illustrated
in FIG. 14, when a user selects/operates a setting button of the
multifunction peripheral 10, user operation information indicative
of a content of the operation is sent from the multifunction
peripheral 10 to the information processing apparatus 30
(notification from multifunction peripheral). The manual display
application 33a that operates in the information processing
apparatus 30 retrieves or generates manual display data (manual
display data including page designation information or manual
display data including display screen data (manual data (e.g., HTML
screen data including an operation manual))) corresponding to the
user operation information received from the multifunction
peripheral 10, and then sends the manual display data to the
multifunction peripheral 10. In this way, an operation manual
corresponding to the user operation is displayed on the display
section 13 of the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0104] Although the above description has mainly described a case
where the processing of the copy mode is carried out, an operation
manual is displayed in a substantially similar manner also in a
case where processing of another standard function (e.g., image
sending mode) is carried out. Further, although the above
description has dealt with a case where setting of "Copy Density"
is executed, an operation manual is displayed in a substantially
similar manner also in a case where setting of another item (e.g.,
"Sheet", "Zooming", "Special Function", "Two-Sided Copy", "Output")
is executed.
[0105] (1-4. Processing of OSA Mode)
[0106] FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing in the
multifunction peripheral control system 100 carried out in a case
where an operation manual is displayed on the display device 50 in
the OSA mode. FIG. 15 shows an example in which the document
management application 33b, which is one of the external
applications operating in the information processing apparatus 30,
is selected. Although the following description deals with a case
where the document management application 33b is selected, an
operation manual is displayed in a substantially similar manner
also in a case where another external application is executed.
[0107] In a case where an instruction to select the document
management application 33b is accepted on the application selection
screen (external application selection screen) illustrated in FIG.
4 (S71), the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 sends a request to transmit a login screen of the
document management application 33b to the web server section 32 of
the information processing apparatus 30 via the web browser section
18 and the communication section 17 (S72).
[0108] When the communication section 31 receives, from the
multifunction peripheral 10, the request to transmit the login
screen (S91), the web server section 32 of the information
processing apparatus 30 acquires screen data of the login screen
from the document management application 33b, and returns the
screen data to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the
communication section 31 (S92).
[0109] The apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 receives the screen data of the login screen that is
sent from the information processing apparatus 30 via the web
browser section 18 and the communication section 17, and causes the
display section 13 to display the login screen on the basis of the
screen data (S73). FIG. 16 is an explanatory view illustrating an
example of the screen data (HTML data constituting the screen data)
of the login screen for the document management application which
screen data is sent from the information processing apparatus 30 to
the multifunction peripheral 10. FIG. 17 is an explanatory view
illustrating the login screen that is displayed on the display
section 13 of the multifunction peripheral 10 on the basis of this
screen data. As illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the login screen
requests input of a login name and a password as authentication
information.
[0110] The apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 accepts the authentication information (here, a login
name and a password) inputted by a user on the login screen (S74),
and sends the authentication information to the information
processing apparatus 30 via the web browser section 18 and the
communication section 17 (S75). Specifically, the screen data that
is sent in S92 from the information processing apparatus 30 to the
multifunction peripheral 10 includes a destination address
("http://123.123.123.123/app/auth" in FIG. 16) of the
authentication information as illustrated in FIG. 16. When the user
inputs the authentication information and pushes a "LOGIN" button,
the inputted authentication information is sent to the destination
address. In this way, the authentication information inputted by
the user of the multifunction peripheral 10 is sent to the
information processing apparatus 30.
[0111] The document management application 33b receives the
authentication information from the multifunction peripheral 10 via
the communication section 31 and the web server section 32 (S93),
and then carries out authentication processing by comparing the
received authentication information and permitted authentication
information which is stored in advance and which is authentication
information for a user who is permitted to use the document
management application 33b (S94). Then, it is determined on the
basis of a result of the authentication processing whether or not
use of the document management application 33b is permitted (S95),
and in a case where it is determined that use of the document
management application 33b is not permitted, the processing is
finished. In this case, the multifunction peripheral 10 may be
notified via the web server section 32 and the communication
section 31 that use of the document management application 33b is
not permitted (the inputted authentication information is not
included in the permitted authentication information that is
registered in advance). Alternatively, the login screen sent in S92
may be sent again to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the web
server section 32 and the communication section 31 so that the user
is requested to input the authentication information again.
[0112] In a case where it is determined in S95 that use of the
document management application 33b is permitted, the document
management application 33b sends UI screen data of the document
management application to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the
communication section 31 (S96).
[0113] The apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 receives the UI screen data that is sent from the
information processing apparatus 30 via the communication section
17 and the web browser section 18, and then causes the display
section 13 to display a UI screen corresponding to the UI screen
data (S76). FIG. 18 (a) is an explanatory view illustrating an
example of the UI screen of the document management application 33b
which is displayed on the display section 13. In the example
illustrated in FIG. 18 (a), the UI screen has a "Document Size"
button, a "Two-Sided" button, a "File Format" button, and a "Scan"
button. The "Scan" button is a button for inputting an instruction
to start (execute) scan processing on the basis of setting at the
time. The "Document Size" button is a button for setting a size of
a document to be scanned. The "Two-Sided" button is a button for
setting whether only one side of a document is read or both sides
of the document is read, etc. The "File Format" button is a button
for setting a file format of image data to be acquired by the scan
processing.
[0114] Thereafter, the apparatus control section 16 of the
multifunction peripheral 10 accepts user's operation input on the
UI screen (S77), and sends user operation information corresponding
to the user's operation input to the information processing
apparatus 30 via the web browser section 18 and the communication
section 17 (S78).
[0115] In the OSA mode, the apparatus control section 16 of the
multifunction peripheral 10 controls display of a UI screen on the
display section 13 and operations of the respective sections on the
basis of screen data and control information that are sent from an
external application. Accordingly, the apparatus control section 16
merely causes the display section 13 to display screen data that is
acquired by the web browser section 18 from an external
application, and does not grasp what kind of image is being
displayed on the display section 13 and what kind of function is to
be executed. On this account, in the OSA mode, the apparatus
control section 16 cannot (i) analyze the user's operation input,
(ii) generate information indicative of the user's operation input,
and (iii) send the information to the information processing
apparatus 30. Accordingly, the user operation information may be
positional information indicative of a coordinate of a touched part
on the display section 13 instead of a result of analysis of the
user's operation. In this case, the external application analyses
the user's operation (which button has been operated) on the basis
of the positional information.
[0116] Another arrangement is also possible in which (i) each
button displayed on the UI screen is associated with a destination
address and user operation information that is sent in a case where
the button is operated and (ii) user operation information
corresponding to an operated button is sent to a destination
address corresponding to the operated button. That is, while the
multifunction peripheral 10 is operating under control of the
external application, the external application itself can acquire
user operation information on the basis of the way in which a
content (e.g., screen data of various kinds, control instruction)
sent to the multifunction peripheral 10 is described without the
need for causing multifunction peripheral 10 to generate
specialized user operation information. For example, in the screen
data corresponding to the UI screen of FIG. 18 (a), the "Two-Sided"
button may be associated with an address (e.g., link such as
http://123.123.123.123/app/setting/duplex.html) to be accessed in a
case where the "Two-Sided" button is operated. In this way, when
the "Two-Sided" button is operated, a request is sent to the
address to be accessed and the external application can detect a
content of the user's operation.
[0117] After sending the user operation information in S78, the
apparatus control section 16 determines whether or not the user
operation information is an instruction to start the scan
processing (operation of the "Scan" button on the UI screen
illustrated in FIG. 18 (a)) (S79).
[0118] In a case where it is determined that the user operation
information is an instruction to start the scan processing, the
apparatus control section 16 (i) receives, via the communication
section 17 and the web browser 18, scan command sent from the
information processing apparatus 30 (the document management
application 33b) (S80), (ii) executes processing corresponding to
the scan command (S81), (iii) sends scanned image data (scan image
data) to a destination address indicated in the scan command (S82),
and then (iv) finishes the processing.
[0119] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined that the user
operation information is not an instruction to start the scan
processing, the process in S76 is carried out, in which the
apparatus control section 16 receives, via the communication
section 17 and the web browser section 18, screen data of a UI
screen sent from the information processing apparatus 30 (the
document management application 33b), and then causes the display
section 13 to display the UI screen corresponding to the screen
data. For example, in a case where the "Two-Sided" button is
operated on the UI screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (a), user
operation information indicative of the operation is sent to the
information processing apparatus 30 (the document management
application 33b), and a UI screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (b) is
displayed on the display section 13 on the basis of screen data of
the UI screen which is returned from the information processing
apparatus 30 (the document management application 33b) to the
multifunction peripheral 10 in response to the user operation
information. Note that in this screen data, each button included in
the UI screen is associated with information indicative of an
address to be accessed in a case where the button is operated. For
example, a "Two-Sided and Long Edge Binding" button is associated
with a request URL of
http://123.123.123.123/app/setting/duplex.html?selected=dupBooklet
as information indicative of the address to be accessed. Further,
the request URL is given a query "selected", and the document
management application 33b can know that "Two-Sided and Long Edge
Binding" has been selected, by referring to this set value. Note
that the document management application 33b which has acquired the
set value changes setting to be applied to document management
processing to "Two-Sided and Long Edge Binding" accordingly and
sends, to the multifunction peripheral 10, screen data for
displaying the UI screen of FIG. 18(a) again.
[0120] The document management application 33b receives operation
input information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10 via the
communication section 31 and the web server section 32 (S97), and
determines, on the basis of the operation input information whether
or not the operation of the user of the multifunction peripheral 10
is a start instruction (operation of the "Scan" button on the UI
screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (a)) (S98).
[0121] In a case where it is determined that the operation of the
user of the multifunction peripheral 10 is the start instruction,
the document management application 33b creates a scan command for
causing the multifunction peripheral 10 to carry out scan
processing on the basis of setting at the time, and sends the scan
command to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the web server
section 32 and the communication section 31 (S99).
[0122] Thereafter, the document management application 33b
receives, via the communication section 31 and the web server
section 32, scan image data that is acquired from the multifunction
peripheral 10 as a result of the scan processing based on the scan
command, and then causes the scan image data to be stored in a
predetermined place (S100).
[0123] Then, the document management application 33b determines
whether to logout or not (S101). In a case where logout is
selected, the process in S96 is carried out again, in which the UI
screen (e.g., the UI screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (a)) is sent to
the multifunction peripheral 10. Meanwhile, in a case where it is
determined that logout is selected, the document management
application 33b carries out predetermined logout processing (S104),
and finishes its operation.
[0124] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S98 that the
operation of the user of the multifunction peripheral 10 is not a
start instruction, the document management application 33b sends
(transmits) user operation information (or notification
corresponding to the user operation information; notification from
OSA) to the manual display application 33a (S102), and determines
whether or not the user operation requires change of setting of
processing of the application (S103). For example, in a case where
the "Document Size" button, the "Two-Sided" button, or the "File
Format" button is operated on the UI screen of FIG. 18 (a), the
document management application 33b determines that the operation
is a UI screen update instruction which does not require change of
setting. Note that the user operation information (notification
from OSA) sent from the information processing apparatus 30 to the
display device 50 can be, for example, information in the XML
format, HTML format, or other format, as with the user operation
information (notification from multifunction peripheral) sent from
the multifunction peripheral 10 to the information processing
apparatus 30.
[0125] In a case where it is determined in S103 that the operation
is not an instruction which requires change of setting, the process
in S96 is carried out, in which the document management application
33b sends screen data of a UI screen corresponding to a button that
has been operated to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the web
server section 32 and the communication section 31. In this way,
the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction peripheral 10
updates the UI screen displayed on the display section 13 on the
basis of the screen data received from the information processing
apparatus 30 (S76). For example, in a case where the "Two-Sided"
button is operated on the UI screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (a), the
UI screen illustrated in FIG. 19(a) which is a UI screen by which
setting concerning two-sided scan is inputted is displayed on the
display section 13.
[0126] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S103 that the
operation is an instruction which requires change of setting, the
document management application 33b changes setting on the basis of
the user operation information (S104), and then the process in S96
is carried out, in which the document management application 33b
sends, to the multifunction peripheral 10 via the web server
section 32 and the communication section 31, screen data of a UI
screen to be displayed after the change of setting.
[0127] Further, the manual display application 33a which operates
in the information processing apparatus 30 receives the user
operation information (notification from OSA) from the document
management application 33b (S110), retrieves (or generates) manual
display data corresponding to the user operation information
(S111), and sends the manual display data to the display device 50
via the communication section 31 (S112). The manual display data
can be retrieved (or generated) in a substantially similar manner
to that in the case of the copy mode.
[0128] The communication section 51 receives the manual display
data sent from the information processing apparatus 30 (S121). In
response to this, the apparatus control section 52 of the display
device 50 causes the display section 53 to display an image
corresponding to the manual display data (S122). In this way, for
example, in a case where the "Two-Sided" button is operated on the
UI screen illustrated in FIG. 18 (a), an operation manual
illustrated in FIG. 19 (b) is displayed on the display section 53
of the display device 50. That is, a UI screen (see FIG. 19 (a))
for accepting operation input concerning two-sided scan is
displayed on the display section 13 of the multifunction peripheral
10, whereas an operation manual (see FIG. 19 (b)) concerning the
two-sided scan is displayed on the display section 53 of the
display device 50. This allows a user to input operation on the UI
screen displayed on the display section 13 while referring to the
operation manual displayed on the display section 53 of the display
device 50.
[0129] FIG. 20 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out among the multifunction
peripheral 10, the information processing apparatus 30, and the
display device 50 in the processing (document management
processing) of the OSA mode illustrated in FIG. 15. As illustrated
in FIG. 20, when a user selects a setting button of the
multifunction peripheral 10, (i) user operation information
indicative of this operation is sent from the multifunction
peripheral 10 to the information processing apparatus 30, (ii)
screen data of a UI screen corresponding to the user operation
information is sent from the document management application 33b
(OSA application) operating in the information processing apparatus
30 to the multifunction peripheral 10, and (iii) the user operation
information is sent from the document management application 33b
(OSA application) to the manual display application 33a. The manual
display application 33a that has received the user operation
information sends, to the display device 50, manual display data
for displaying an operation manual corresponding to the user
operation information.
[0130] As described above, when a user operates a UI screen,
another UI screen corresponding to a content of this operation is
displayed on the display section 13, and an operation manual
corresponding to the content of the operation is displayed on the
display device 50. This allows the user to input setting on the UI
screen by referring to, as necessary, the operation manual
displayed on the display section 53 of the display device 50.
[0131] The above description has dealt with a case where an
operation manual is displayed on the display device 50 in the
processing of the OSA mode. However, the present embodiment is not
limited to this, and an operation manual may be displayed on the
display section 13 of the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0132] FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing of the
multifunction peripheral control system 100 carried out in a case
where an operation manual is displayed on the display section 13 of
the multifunction peripheral 10 in the OSA mode. FIG. 21 shows an
example in which the document management application 33b, which is
one of the external applications operating in the information
processing apparatus 30, has been selected. For convenience of
description, identical processes (steps) to those in the flow chart
of FIG. 15 are given identical numerals, and are not explained
repeatedly.
[0133] The processing of FIG. 21 is different from that of FIG. 15
in that (i) the manual display application 33a carries out a
process in Step S112b instead of the process in Step S112 of FIG.
15 and (ii) the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 carries out a process in Step S76b between Step S76
and Step S77.
[0134] In Step S112b, the manual display application 33a sends, to
the multifunction peripheral 10 via the communication section 31,
manual display data corresponding to user operation information
(notification from OSA) received from the document management
application 33b (S112b). Note that the manual display data can be
retrieved (or generated) in a substantially similar manner to that
of the case of the copy mode.
[0135] In Step S76b, the apparatus control section 16 receives, via
the communication section 17 and the web browser section 18, the
manual display data sent from the information processing apparatus
30 (the manual display application 33a), and causes the display
section 13 to display an operation manual in accordance with the
manual display data (S76b).
[0136] FIG. 22 is an explanatory view illustrating an example of a
display screen displayed on the display section 13 in a case where
the "Two-Sided" button has been operated on the UI screen
illustrated in FIG. 18 (a). As illustrated in FIG. 22, the UI
screen corresponding to the screen data of the UI screen received
in S76 is displayed on one part of the display section 13, and the
operation manual corresponding to the manual display data received
in S76b is displayed on another part of the display section 13.
[0137] FIG. 23 is an explanatory view schematically illustrating
communication processing carried out between the multifunction
peripheral 10 and the information processing apparatus 30 in the
processing (document management processing) of the OSA mode
illustrated in FIG. 21. As illustrated in FIG. 23, when a user
selects/operates a setting button of the multifunction peripheral
10, (i) user operation information indicative of the operation is
sent from the multifunction peripheral 10 to the information
processing apparatus 30, (ii) screen data of a UI screen
corresponding to the user operation information is sent from the
document management application 33b (OSA application) operating in
the information processing apparatus 30 to the multifunction
peripheral 10, and (iii) the user operation information is sent
from the document management application 33b (OSA application) to
the manual display application 33a. The manual display application
33a that has received the user operation information sends, to the
multifunction peripheral 10, manual display data for displaying an
operation manual corresponding to the user operation
information.
[0138] As described above, when a user operates a UI screen,
another UI screen corresponding to a content of this operation is
displayed on one part of the display section 13, and an operation
manual corresponding to the content of the operation is displayed
on another part of the display section 13. This allows the user to
input setting on the UI screen displayed on one part of the display
section 13 by referring to the operation manual displayed on
another part of the display section 13.
[0139] Note that in a case where the manual display data is not
received from the information processing apparatus 30 (the manual
display application 33a), the process in Step S77 is carried out
after the process in Step S76 without carrying out the process in
Step S76b. In this case, the UI screen (e.g., the UI screen
illustrated in FIG. 18 (a)) received in Step S76 is displayed on
the display section 13.
[0140] By the way, in the manual display processing, in a case
where an identical operation manual is continuously displayed for a
long period of time on the display section 13 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 or on the display section 53 of the display device
50, troubles such as burn-in of a display screen would occur. For
the purpose of preventing such troubles, in a case where a state in
which an identical operation manual is displayed continues for a
predetermined period of time, the manual display application 33a
may change display of a manual display region of the display
section 13 or the display section 53 to predetermined display
(e.g., advertisement information, message information, event
information, company bulletin board information, moving image,
still image, part of the operation manual different from part that
is being displayed, non-display state). For example, it is possible
to employ an arrangement in which, in a case where it is determined
that no operation has been made by a user for a predetermined
period of time from the latest input, the apparatus control section
16 of the multifunction peripheral 10 sends neglected state
notification (e.g., notification of FIG. 24) indicative of this
state as user operation information (notification from
multifunction peripheral) to the manual display application 33a,
and the manual display application 33a which has received this
notification sends manual display data for performing the
predetermined display instead of the operation manual that is being
displayed. This makes it possible to prevent the troubles such as
burn-in of a display screen. Further, in a case where information
such as advertisement information or message information is
displayed as the predetermined display, the display section 13 of
the multifunction peripheral 10 or the display section 53 of the
display device 50 can be more effectively utilized.
[0141] Next, the following describes in more detail how the manual
display application 33a controls display of an operation manual.
FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing in the manual
display application 33a.
[0142] The manual display application 33a monitors whether or not
user operation information has been received from the multifunction
peripheral 10 or the OSA application (the document management
application 33b or the ledger sheet printing application 33c)
(S131).
[0143] In a case where it is determined that the user operation
information has been received, the manual display application 33a
analyses the user operation information (S132), and determines
whether or not the user operation information is neglected state
notification (notification that no operation has been made by a
user for a predetermined period of time) (S133).
[0144] In a case where it is determined that the user operation
information is not the neglected state notification, the manual
display application 33a specifies an application that is being
executed and an operation manual corresponding to the application
on the basis of the user operation information (S134). For example,
in the present embodiment, the manual display application 33a
specifies which of the copy mode, the image sending mode, the
document management application 33b, and the ledger sheet printing
application 33c is being executed, and specifies an operation
manual corresponding to the application that is being executed.
[0145] Further, the manual display application 33a specifies, on
the basis of the user operation information, a set item (UI screen
that is being displayed on the display section 13 of the
multifunction peripheral 10) that is being processed by a user of
the multifunction peripheral 10 (S135). The set item is, for
example, "Copy Density", "Sheet", "Zooming", "Special Function",
"Two-Side Copy", "Output", or the like in the case of the copy mode
(standard function). Meanwhile, in the case of the document
management application 33b, the set item is "Document Size",
"Two-Sided", "File Format", or the like.
[0146] Next, the manual display application 33a retrieves
(extracts), from the operation manual specified in S134, a part
corresponding to the set item specified in S135 (S136), and
generates manual display data for displaying the extracted part on
the manual display region of the display section 13 or the display
section 53 (S137).
[0147] Meanwhile, in a case where it is determined in S133 that the
user operation information is the neglected state notification, the
manual display application 33a generates manual display data for
displaying a predetermined image (e.g., advertisement information)
on the manual display region of the display section 13 or the
display section 53 (S138).
[0148] Thereafter, the manual display application 33a sends, to the
multifunction peripheral 10 or the display device 50, the manual
display data generated in S137 or S138 (S139), and the process in
S131 is carried out again.
[0149] Note that in order to achieve uniformity in appearance of
displayed manuals, it is possible to employ an arrangement in which
(i) a content of an operation manual of each application is created
and stored in a document format (e.g., a structured document format
in which section and paragraph are clearly defined and classified)
such as HTML, and (ii) a predetermined style sheet (template of a
manner in which a document is displayed in which template at least
one of a font type, a character size, a character color, a line
spacing, and a background color is defined (e.g., CSS (cascading
style sheets))) is applied to the content of the operation manual
at the time of generating the manual display data.
[0150] In this case, an identical style sheet (display policy) need
not necessarily be applied to all of the applications. A different
style sheet may be applied to one or more of the applications so
that operation manuals are displayed in various ways. FIG. 26 is a
flow chart showing a flow of processing in the manual display
application 33a carried out in a case where manual display data is
generated with the use of a style sheet. For convenience of
description, identical processes (steps) to those in the flow chart
of FIG. 25 are given identical numerals, and are not explained
repeatedly.
[0151] The processing in FIG. 26 is different from that of FIG. 25
in that (i) the manual display application 33a carries out a
process in Step S135b after the process in Step S135 in FIG. 25 and
(ii) the manual display application 33a carries out a process in
S137b instead of the process in S137.
[0152] In S135b, the manual display application 33a specifies a
display policy (display rule specifying at least one of a font
type, a character size, a character color, a line spacing, and a
background color) corresponding to a source of the user operation
information (an application that is being executed) (S135b). For
example, it is possible to employ an arrangement in which (i) each
application of the standard function and of the expanded function
and a display policy to be displayed in a case where an operation
manual of the application is displayed are associated with each
other in advance and stored in the storage section (not
illustrated) of the information processing apparatus 30 as
illustrated in FIG. 27 and (ii) a display policy corresponding to
an application that is being executed is retrieved. In the example
illustrated in FIG. 27, a common display policy 1 (style sheet 1)
is applied to the applications of the standard function (the copy
mode and the image sending mode) and to the document management
application out of the expanded function, and a display policy 2
(style sheet 2) is applied to the ledger sheet printing application
of the expanded function. The display policy 2 is same as the
display policy 1 in setting of a font size, but is different from
the display policy 1 in setting of the other items (font type, font
color, background color).
[0153] In S137b, the manual display application 33a generates
manual display data by applying the display policy (style sheet)
specified in S135b to a part of the operation manual which part has
been extracted in S136 and corresponds to the user operation
(S137b).
[0154] In this way, the operation manuals of the respective
applications are displayed in accordance with a common display
policy. Alternatively, the operation manuals of the respective
applications are displayed in such a manner that one or more of the
display set items (e.g., font size, font type, font color,
background color, etc.) is set in an identical manner for all of
the applications and the other display set items are set
differently for the applications. That is, the operation manuals of
the respective applications can be displayed in a unified
manner.
[0155] As described above, in the multifunction peripheral control
system 100 of the present embodiment, the manual display
application 33a which operates in the information processing
apparatus 30 controls both of (i) manual display of the standard
function of the multifunction peripheral 10 and (ii) manual display
of the expanded function of the multifunction peripheral 10. That
is, the manual display application 33a controls display of an
operation manual on the basis of notification of user operation
information from the multifunction peripheral 10 or an external
application (OS application), regardless of whether processing that
is being executed in the multifunction peripheral 10 is the
standard function or the expanded function.
[0156] This allows the operation manuals of the respective
applications for executing the standard function and the expanded
function to be displayed in a unified manner. Further, since the
information processing apparatus 30 controls manual display, it is
easy to change a display content (e.g., description of a manual,
setting of manual display). Especially in a case where the
information processing apparatus 30 is connected to a plurality of
multifunction peripherals 10 or a plurality of display devices 50
via a communication network such as Internet, the information
processing apparatus 30 can be easily connected to the plurality of
multifunction peripherals 10 or the plurality of display devices
50, and a serviceman can easily change a display content of a
manual without visiting places where the plurality of multifunction
peripherals 10 and the plurality of display devices 50 are
placed.
[0157] Further, in the present embodiment, in a case where the
display device 50 is provided in the vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral 10, the manual display application 33a causes the
display section 53 of the display device 50 to display an operation
manual. With the arrangement, even in a case where it is difficult
for a user to grasp how to operate the multifunction peripheral 10
only by display of the display section 13 of the multifunction
peripheral 10 (see the left side of FIG. 28), the user can easily
grasp how to operate the multifunction peripheral 10 because
operation manuals corresponding to respective set items on a UI
screen that is being displayed on the display section 13 are
displayed on the display section 53.
[0158] Note that it is also possible to employ an arrangement in
which the manual display application 33a appropriately changes
which of the display section 13 of the multifunction peripheral 10
and the display section 53 of the display device 50 an operation
manual is to be displayed on.
[0159] For example, it is possible to employ an arrangement in
which (i) a user of the multifunction peripheral 10 presets whether
an operation manual is displayed on the display section 13 or
displayed on the display section 53 and (ii) the manual display
application 33a changes, on the basis of this user's setting, which
of the display section 13 and the display section 53 the operation
manual is to be displayed on.
[0160] It is also possible to employ an arrangement in which (i)
the manual display application 33a determines whether or not the
display device 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral 10 and (ii) in a case where the display device 50 is
disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral 10, the
operation manual is displayed on the display section 53, whereas in
a case where the display device 50 is not disposed in the vicinity
of the multifunction peripheral 10, the operation manual is
displayed on the display section 13. For example, it is possible to
employ an arrangement in which (i) in a case where the display
device 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral 10, associated information in which the display device
50 and the multifunction peripheral 10 corresponding to the display
device 50 are associated with each other is stored in the
multifunction peripheral 10, the display device 50, the information
processing apparatus 30, or another apparatus connected to the
communication network and (ii) at the time of display of a manual,
the manual display application 33a determines, on the basis of
presence or absence of the associated information, whether or not
the display device 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the
multifunction peripheral 10.
[0161] Further, it is also possible to employ an arrangement in
which the manual display application 33a (i) acquires information
(e.g., screen size, resolution) concerning display capability from
the multifunction peripheral 10 and the display device 50 and (ii)
changes which of the display section 13 and the display section 53
the operation manual is to be displayed on, on the basis of a
display content (e.g., display size, the number of characters,
character size) of a part of an operation manual which part is to
be displayed and the display capability of the multifunction
peripheral 10 and the display device 50. For example, it is
possible to employ an arrangement in which in a case where a size
of a display screen of the display section 13 is equal to or larger
than a predetermined size which allows both of a UI screen
(operation screen) and an operation manual to be displayed
concurrently, the operation manual is displayed on part of the
display section 13, whereas in a case where the size of the display
screen of the display section 13 is smaller than the predetermined
size, the operation manual is displayed on the display section 53.
Alternatively, it is also possible to employ an arrangement in
which in a case where the size of the display screen of the display
section 13 is equal to or larger than a predetermined size which
allows a region exclusive for display of an operation manual to be
set in a UI screen of the display section 13, the operation manual
is displayed on the exclusive region of the UI screen displayed on
the display section 13, whereas in a case where the size of the
display screen of the display section 13 is smaller than the
predetermined size, the operation manual is displayed on the
display section 53. Alternatively, it is also possible to employ an
arrangement in which information on display capability of the
multifunction peripheral 10 and the display device 50 is registered
in advance in the information processing apparatus 30. For example,
it is possible to employ an arrangement in which an operation
manual is displayed on the display device 50 in a case where only a
character size equal to or smaller than a predetermined size can be
displayed on the display section 13 of the multifunction peripheral
10.
[0162] Note that a method of acquiring the information on display
capability is not limited to a specific one. For example, it is
possible to employ a method in which the manual display application
33a acquires such information on display capability by requesting
the multifunction peripheral 10 and the display device 50 to send
the information. Alternatively, it is also possible to employ a
method in which the multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the
information processing apparatus 30, such information on display
capability along with user operation information in the process in
S25 of FIG. 5. Alternatively, it is also possible to employ a
method in which the multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the
information processing apparatus 30, such information on display
capability along with a request to send a login screen or along
with authentication information in the process in S72 or the
process in S75 of FIG. 15. Alternatively, a method of acquiring the
information on display capability may be registered in advance in
the information processing apparatus 30.
[0163] It is possible to employ an arrangement in which the manual
display application 33a changes a display content of a manual in
accordance with model or display capability of the multifunction
peripheral 10. For example, it is possible to employ an arrangement
in which a font size for manual display is changed in accordance
with a screen size and resolution or it is possible to employ an
arrangement in which a font color and a background color are
changed in accordance with color/monochrome/the number of colors to
be displayed.
[0164] Specifically, for example, in a case where the standard
function of the multifunction peripheral 10 is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, model or property information (screen size,
resolution, color/monochrome/the number of colors to be displayed,
etc.) concerning display capability of the multifunction peripheral
10 and the display device 50 along with user operation information
in the process of S25 of FIG. 5. The manual display application 33a
of the information processing apparatus 30 retrieves (or generates)
manual display data corresponding to the user operation information
and to the property information in the process in S32 of FIG. 5.
Specifically, in the information processing apparatus 30, a table
in which (i) identification information (mode identification
information, set item identification information, etc.) contained
in the user operation information sent from the multifunction
peripheral 10, (ii) the property information concerning the display
capability, and (iii) the manual display data are associated with
each other is stored in advance, and the manual display application
33a retrieves the manual display data by referring to the table.
Alternatively, it is possible to employ an arrangement in which (i)
an operation manual described in a document format such as HTML and
a style sheet corresponding to the property information are stored
in advance and (ii) the manual display application 33a generates
manual display data by applying the style sheet corresponding to
the property information to a part, corresponding to the user
operation information, of the operation manual.
[0165] In a case where the expanded function is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, model or property information concerning display
capability of the multifunction peripheral 10 and the display
device 50 along with a request to send a login screen or
authentication information in the process in S72 or S75 of FIG. 15.
Further, the document management application 33b which operates in
the information processing apparatus 30 sends, to the manual
display application 33a, the property information along with user
operation information (or notification corresponding to the user
operation information; notification from OSA) in the process in
S102 of FIG. 15. Further, the manual display application 33a which
operates in the information processing apparatus 30 retrieves (or
generates) manual display data corresponding to the user operation
information and to the property information in the process in S111
of FIG. 15.
[0166] Alternatively, it is also possible to employ an arrangement
in which the manual display application 33a changes a display
content of a manual in accordance with present or absence of an
optional device (e.g., automatic document carrying device,
post-processing device (device which carries out processing such as
staple processing, sorting processing, and punching processing with
respect to a sheet on which an image has been formed),
large-capacity paper feeding device) attached to the multifunction
peripheral 10 and a type of the optional device.
[0167] Specifically, for example, in a case where the standard
function of the multifunction peripheral 10 is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, option information indicative of the optional device
attached to the multifunction peripheral 10 along with user
operation information in the process in S25 of FIG. 5. The manual
display application 33a which operates in the information
processing apparatus 30 retrieves (or generates) manual display
data corresponding to the user operation information and to the
option information in the process in S32 of FIG. 5. Specifically,
in the information processing apparatus 30, a table in which (i)
identification information (mode identification information, set
item identification information, etc.) contained in the user
operation information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10,
(ii) the option information, and (iii) the manual display data are
associated with each other is stored in advance, and the manual
display application 33a retrieves manual display data by referring
to the table. Alternatively, it is possible to employ an
arrangement in which the manual display application 33a generates
manual display data in accordance with the option information by
determining, in accordance with the option information, whether or
not a part corresponding to the optional device out of part,
corresponding to the user operation information, of the operation
manual is to be contained in the manual display data.
[0168] In a case where the expanded function is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, the option information along with a request to send a
login screen or authentication information in the process in S72 or
S75 of FIG. 15. Further, the document management application 33b
which operates in the information processing apparatus 30 sends, to
the manual display application 33a, the option information along
with user operation information (or notification corresponding to
the user operation information; notification from OSA) in the
process in S102 of FIG. 15. Further, the manual display application
33a which operates in the information processing apparatus 30
retrieves (or generates) manual display data corresponding to the
user operation information and to the option information in the
process in S111 of FIG. 15.
[0169] It is thus possible to carry out manual display
corresponding to the optional device attached to the multifunction
peripheral 10. As a result, convenience for a user can be improved.
For example, in a case where a two-sided printing unit is mounted
as the optional device, a manual corresponding to the two-sided
copying unit is displayed so that an optimum mode setting
corresponding to the optional device can be presented to the user
(for example, two-sided copy is recommended for reduction of sheet
consumption). Further, even in a case where the expanded function
does not support use of an optional device, an appropriate advice
can be given to a user by displaying a manual corresponding such a
case.
[0170] Alternatively, it is possible to employ an arrangement in
which the manual display application 33a changes a display content
of a manual in accordance with a user of the multifunction
peripheral 10. For example, it is possible to employ an arrangement
in which (i) users are classified into a plurality of groups (e.g.,
beginner, general user, administrator) in accordance with a degree
of familiarity with the multifunction peripheral 10 and (ii) a
display content of a manual is changed depending on to which group
a user belongs.
[0171] Specifically, for example, in a case where the standard
function of the multifunction peripheral 10 is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, user property information indicative of an attribute
of a user (e.g., which of the beginner, general user, and
administrator the user belongs to) along with user operation
information in the process in S25 of FIG. 5. The manual display
application 33a of the information processing apparatus 30
retrieves (or generates) manual display data corresponding to the
user operation information and to the user property information in
the process in S32 of FIG. 5. Specifically, in the information
processing apparatus 30, a table in which (i) identification
information (mode identification information, set item
identification information, etc.) contained in the user operation
information sent from the multifunction peripheral 10, (ii) the
user property information, and (iii) the manual display data are
associated with each other is stored in advance, and the manual
display application 33a retrieves the manual display data by
referring to the table. Alternatively, it is possible to employ an
arrangement in which (i) an operation manual described in a
document format such as HTML and a style sheet corresponding to the
user property information are stored in advance and (ii) the manual
display application 33a generates manual display data by applying
the style sheet corresponding to the user property information to a
part, corresponding to the user operation information, of the
operation manual. For example, in a case where the user is a
beginner, an information amount per screen may be reduced as
compared with a case where the user is a general user or an
information amount may be increased as compared with display for a
general user by displaying a moving image or by outputting part of
manual information by using audio. In a case where the user is an
administrator, information (e.g., method for operating a main body
setting menu) necessary for management may be additionally
displayed.
[0172] In a case where the expanded function is used, the
multifunction peripheral 10 sends, to the information processing
apparatus 30, the user property information along with user
authentication information in the process in S75 of FIG. 15.
Further, the document management application 33b which operates in
the information processing apparatus 30 causes user property
information received from the multifunction peripheral 10 in S93 of
FIG. 15 to be stored in a memory (not illustrated) and sends, to
the manual display application 33a, the user property information
along with user operation information (or notification
corresponding to the user operation information; notification from
OSA) in the process in S102 of FIG. 15. The manual display
application 33a which operates in the information processing
apparatus 30 retrieves (or generates) manual display data
corresponding to the user operation information and to the user
property information in the process in S111 of FIG. 15.
[0173] Note that a method for acquiring the user property
information is not limited to a specific one. For example, a user
himself/herself may select the user property information by
operating the input section 12. Alternatively, it is also possible
to employ an arrangement in which (i) user authentication
processing is carried out at the start of use of the multifunction
peripheral 10, (ii) user identification information and user
property information are associated with each other and stored, and
(iii) user property information is detected in accordance with user
identification information inputted in the user authentication
processing. Specifically, for example, in response to activation of
the multifunction peripheral 10, the apparatus control section 16
of the multifunction peripheral 10 causes the display section 13 to
display a screen prompting a user to input user authentication
information before causing the display section 13 to display a mode
selection screen (see S21 of FIG. 2). Then, when the user
authentication information is inputted, the user authentication
information is sent to an authentication processing section (not
illustrated). The authentication processing section carries out
user authentication processing by collating the user authentication
information inputted by the user with user authentication
information for users who are permitted to use the multifunction
peripheral 10 which user authentication information is registered
in advance. In a case where the user authentication information
inputted by the user coincides with the user authentication
information that is registered in advance, the authentication
processing section detects user property information of the user
which is associated with the user authentication information and is
registered in advance, and then sends the user property information
to the apparatus control section 16 of the multifunction peripheral
10. Note that the authentication processing section may be provided
in the multifunction peripheral 10 or may be provided in an
authentication server (not illustrated) that is communicably
connected to the multifunction peripheral 10.
[0174] In the present embodiment, all of the manual display
application 33a, the document management application 33b, and the
ledger sheet printing application 33c operate in the information
processing apparatus 30. However, the present embodiment is not
limited to this. That is, it is possible to employ an arrangement
in which one or more of these applications operates in another
apparatus that is communicably connected to the multifunction
peripheral 10 and/or the information processing apparatus 30. The
document management application 33b and the ledger sheet printing
application 33c are examples of the application (OSA application)
for achieving the expanded function of the multifunction peripheral
10, and other OSA applications (external applications) may be used
which operate in the information processing apparatus 30 or another
apparatus that are communicably connected to the multifunction
peripheral 10.
[0175] In the present embodiment, the sections (blocks) of the
multifunction peripheral 10, the information processing apparatus
30, and the display device 50, especially the apparatus control
section 16 and the web browser section 18 of the multifunction
peripheral 10, the external application section 33 and the web
server section 32 of the information processing apparatus 30, and
part or all of the apparatus control section 52 of the display
device 50 may be realized by way of software as executed by a
processor such as CPU. In this case, the multifunction peripheral
10, the information processing apparatus 30, and the display device
50 each include a CPU (central processing unit) and memory devices
(memory media). The CPU (central processing unit) executes
instructions in control programs realizing the functions. The
memory devices include a ROM (read only memory) which contains
programs, a RAM (random access memory) to which the programs are
loaded, and a memory containing the programs and various data. The
objective of the present invention can also be achieved by mounting
to the multifunction peripheral 10, the information processing
apparatus 30, and the display device 50 a computer-readable storage
medium containing control program code (executable program,
intermediate code program, or source program) for the multifunction
peripheral 10, the information processing apparatus 30, and the
display device 50, which is software realizing the aforementioned
functions, in order for the computer (or CPU, MPU) to retrieve and
execute the program code contained in the storage medium.
[0176] The storage medium may be, for example, a tape, such as a
magnetic tape or a cassette tape; a magnetic disk, such as a floppy
(Registered Trademark) disk or a hard disk, or an optical disk,
such as CD-ROM/MO/MD/DVD/CD-R/Blu-ray Disc (Registered Trademark);
a card, such as an IC card (memory card) or an optical card; or a
semiconductor memory, such as a mask ROM/EPROM/EEPROM/flash
ROM.
[0177] The multifunction peripheral 10, the information processing
apparatus 30, and the display device 50 may be arranged to be
connectable to a communications network so that the program code
may be delivered over the communications network. The
communications network is not limited in any particular manner, and
may be, for example, the Internet, an intranet, extranet, LAN,
ISDN, VAN, CATV communications network, virtual dedicated network
(virtual private network), telephone line network, mobile
communications network, or satellite communications network. The
transfer medium which makes up the communications network is not
limited in any particular manner, and may be, for example, wired
line, such as IEEE 1394, USB, electric power line, cable TV line,
telephone line, or ADSL line; or wireless, such as infrared
radiation (IrDA, remote control), Bluetooth (Registered Trademark),
802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile telephone network, satellite line, or
terrestrial digital network.
[0178] The blocks of the multifunction peripheral 10, the
information processing apparatus 30, and the display device 50 are
not limited to ones realized by way of software. For example, the
blocks of the multifunction peripheral 10, the information
processing apparatus 30, and the display device 50 may be realized
by way of hardware or may be a combination of hardware that carries
out part of processing and computation means for executing software
controlling the hardware and carrying out the remaining
processing.
[0179] A display control apparatus of the present invention is a
display control apparatus for controlling a display content of a
display section of a multifunction peripheral that is communicably
connected to the display control apparatus or a display content of
a display section that is disposed in vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral, the multifunction peripheral having (i) a standard
function of controlling one or a plurality of apparatus functions
of the multifunction peripheral with use of a standard application
operating in the multifunction peripheral and (ii) an expanded
function of controlling the one or a plurality of apparatus
functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an external
application operating in another apparatus communicably connected
to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction peripheral
including an operation input section for accepting operation input
from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the display control
apparatus including a manual display control section that controls
display, on the display section, of both of an operation manual of
the standard application and an operation manual of the external
application, the manual display control section causing the display
section to display an operation manual of an application for which
an operation is being inputted by the user via the operation input
section out of the standard application and the external
application.
[0180] According to the configuration, the manual display control
section controls display, on the display section, of both of the
operation manual of the standard application and the operation
manual of the external application, and causes the display section
to display an operation manual of an application for which an
operation is being inputted by a user via the operation input
section. That is, according to the configuration, the manual
display control section common to the standard application and the
external application controls display of an operation manual
regardless of whether an application for which an operation is
being inputted by a user is the standard application or the
external application. This allows operation manuals of the
respective applications to be displayed in a unified manner
regardless of whether an application for which an operation is
being inputted by a user is the standard application or the
external application. Further, since the display control apparatus
controls display of a manual on a display section of the
multifunction peripheral or on a display section disposed in the
vicinity of the multifunction peripheral, a display content (e.g.,
description of the manual, display setting of the manual) of the
display section of the multifunction peripheral or the display
section disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral
can be easily changed only by giving a change instruction to the
display control apparatus.
[0181] The display control apparatus may be configured such that
the manual display control section causes an operation manual of
each of the standard and external applications to be displayed on
the display section on the basis of a common display policy
(display rule defining at least one of a font type, a character
size, a character color, a line spacing, and a background color).
For example, the display control apparatus may be configured such
that the manual display control section (i) acquires the operation
manual of a document format from the multifunction peripheral or
said another apparatus or reads out the operation manual of the
document format from a storage section provided in the display
control apparatus and (ii) causes the display section to display
the operation manual by applying, to the operation manual of the
document format, a style sheet defining at least one of the font
type, character size, character color, line spacing, and background
color.
[0182] According to the configuration, the operation manuals of the
respective applications can be displayed so that at least one of
the font type, character size, character color, line spacing, and
background color is common to all of the applications. This allows
the operation manuals of the respective applications to be
displayed in a more unified manner.
[0183] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the style sheet applied by the manual display control
section is common to the operation manuals of the standard and
external applications.
[0184] According to the configuration, each item defined in the
style sheet can be made common to all of the applications. This
allows the operation manuals of the respective applications to be
displayed in a more unified manner.
[0185] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section causes the display
section to display the operation manual of the application for
which an operation is being inputted by the user via the operation
input section by applying, to the operation manual of the
application, a style sheet associated in advance with the
application, the style sheet being selected from a plurality of
style sheets which are same in one or more of a plurality of items
including at least one of the font type, character size, character
color, line spacing, and background color and which are different
in remaining items.
[0186] According to the configuration, one or more of a plurality
of items including at least one of the font type, character size,
character color, line spacing, and background color can be made
common to all of the applications, and the remaining items can be
set independently for each of the applications. Accordingly, the
operation manuals of the respective applications can be displayed
in part independently for each of the applications while displaying
the operation manuals of the respective applications in a unified
manner.
[0187] The display control apparatus may be configured such that
the display section is (i) part of an operation screen display
section of the multifunction peripheral which operation screen
display section is for displaying an operation screen for operation
input from a user or (ii) a display device disposed in a place that
is in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral and that is
viewable from the user operating the operation input section, and
the manual display control section causes the display device to
display the operation manual in a case where the display device is
disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral, whereas
the manual display control section causes the operation screen
display section to display the operation manual in a case where the
display device is not disposed in the vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral.
[0188] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the display section is (i) part of an operation screen
display section of the multifunction peripheral which operation
screen display section is for displaying an operation screen for
operation input from a user or (ii) a display device disposed in a
place that is in the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral and
that is viewable from the user operating the operation input
section, and the manual display control section causes the part of
the operation screen display section to display the operation
manual in a case where a size of a display screen of the operation
screen display section is equal to or larger than a predetermined
size which allows the operation screen and the operation manual to
be displayed concurrently, whereas the manual display control
section causes the display device to display the operation manual
in a case where the size of the display screen of the operation
screen display section is smaller than the predetermined size.
[0189] According to the configurations, the operation manual is
displayed on (i) the part of the operation screen display section
on which the operation screen is displayed or (ii) the display
device disposed in a place viewable from a user operating the
operation input section. This allows the user to input operation
while referring to the operation manual.
[0190] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section causes the display
section to display another image instead of the operation manual in
a case where no operation has been inputted by a user on the
operation input section for a predetermined period of time after
the manual display control section causes the display section to
display the operation manual.
[0191] According to the configuration, it is possible to prevent
troubles such as burn-in of a display screen which occurs in a case
where the operation manual is displayed for a long period of time.
Further, in a case where information such as a variety of
advertisement information, event information, or message
information is displayed instead of the operation manual, the
display section can be effectively utilized while no operation is
being inputted.
[0192] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section detects a content of
an operation inputted by a user, on the basis of user operation
information that is sent from the multifunction peripheral or the
external application with the use of a HTTP protocol.
[0193] According to the configuration, the display control
apparatus can control display with the use of a conventionally
generally used web communication technique (communication technique
used between a web server and a web browser). Further, for example,
even in a case where the multifunction peripheral is provided
inside a firewall and where the display control apparatus is
provided outside the firewall, user operation information can be
sent to the display control apparatus without influence of the
firewall by sending the user operation information from the
multifunction peripheral to the display control apparatus with the
use of the HTTP protocol.
[0194] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured to
include an external application processing section for causing the
external application to operate.
[0195] According to the configuration, the display control
apparatus not only controls the apparatus function of the
multifunction peripheral, but also controls display of an operation
manual of an application that is being used in the multifunction
peripheral.
[0196] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section changes a display
content of the operation manual in accordance with display
capability of the display section.
[0197] According to the configuration, a manual can be displayed in
accordance with the display capability of the display section.
[0198] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section changes a display
content of the operation manual in accordance with (i) whether or
not an optional device, which is a device optionally attached to
the multifunction peripheral, is attached to the multifunction
peripheral and (ii) a type of the optional device attached to the
multifunction peripheral.
[0199] According to the configuration, a manual can be displayed in
accordance with presence or absence of the optional device.
[0200] Further, the display control apparatus may be configured
such that the manual display control section changes a display
content of the operation manual in accordance with an attribute of
a user who inputs operation via the operation input section.
[0201] According to the configuration, a manual can be displayed in
accordance with an attribute of a user.
[0202] A multifunction peripheral control system of the present
invention includes (i) a multifunction peripheral and (ii) any of
the aforementioned display control apparatuses for controlling a
display content of a display section of the multifunction
peripheral or a display content of a display section disposed in
the vicinity of the multifunction peripheral.
[0203] According to the configuration, the operation manuals of the
respective applications can be displayed in a unified manner
regardless of whether an application that is being used is the
standard application or the external application.
[0204] A display control method of the present invention is a
display control method in a multifunction peripheral control system
including (i) a multifunction peripheral and (ii) a display control
apparatus that is communicably connected to the multifunction
peripheral and that controls a display content of a display section
of the multifunction peripheral or a display content of a display
section that is disposed in vicinity of the multifunction
peripheral, the multifunction peripheral having (i) a standard
function of controlling one or a plurality of apparatus functions
of the multifunction peripheral with use of a standard application
operating in the multifunction peripheral and (ii) an expanded
function of controlling the one or a plurality of apparatus
functions of the multifunction peripheral with use of an external
application operating in another apparatus communicably connected
to the multifunction peripheral, and the multifunction peripheral
including an operation input section for accepting operation input
from a user of the multifunction peripheral, the display control
method including the step of (a) causing a manual display control
section, which is provided in the display control apparatus and
which is common to the standard application and the external
application, to control display, on the display section, of both of
an operation manual of the standard application and an operation
manual of the external application, in the step (a), an operation
manual of an application for which an operation is being inputted
by the user via the operation input section being displayed on the
display section.
[0205] According to the method, the operation manuals of the
respective applications can be displayed in a unified manner
regardless of whether an application that is being used is the
standard application or the external application.
[0206] The display control apparatus may be realized by a computer.
In this case, the scope of the present invention encompasses (i) a
program for causing a computer to operate as the manual display
control section so that the display control apparatus is realized
by the computer and (ii) a computer readable recording medium in
which the program is stored.
[0207] The present invention is not limited to the description of
the embodiments above, but may be altered by a skilled person
within the scope of the claims. An embodiment based on a proper
combination of technical means disclosed in different embodiments
is encompassed in the technical scope of the present invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0208] The present invention is applicable to (i) a multifunction
peripheral control system in which a multifunction peripheral and
an information processing apparatus that are communicably connected
to each other via a communication network operate in association
with each other and (ii) a multifunction peripheral control
method.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0209] 10: Multifunction peripheral [0210] 11: Operation section
[0211] 12: Input section (operation input section) [0212] 13:
Display section (operation screen display section) [0213] 30:
Information processing apparatus (display control apparatus,
another apparatus) [0214] 33: External application section (manual
display control section, external application processing section)
[0215] 33a: Manual display application [0216] 33b: Document
management application (external application) [0217] 33c: Form
printing application (external application) [0218] 50: Display
device [0219] 53: Display section [0220] 100: Multifunction
peripheral control system
* * * * *
References